The Ukraine crisis points to the importance of energy independence. Much of the world’s strife can be attributed to the distribution of natural resources. The givers control; the receivers are at their mercy, chained to them by supply line tethers.
Oil has always driven much if not all of US military and foreign policy. US’s entanglement in the middle east; its devastating invasion of Iraq; the first Gulf War are just a few examples. We are already approaching energy independence in this country with our ability to tap onto our vast natural gas reserves and our increase in oil production. The Ukraine crisis points to the need for Europe to get itself independent of imports from Russia.
Columnist Thomas Friedman, writing in the New York Times March 4, opined Russian Pres. Vadimir Putin “ prefers to turn Russia into a mafia-run petro-state…all the better to steal from” and contends we should hit him where he hurts, forcing down energy prices with our own exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) , crashing the Russian economy which is pumped up now on oil revenues..Undermining Putin’s petro revenues is better than going to war.
The threat of Russia shutting off their energy supply is a powerful reason for allies like Germany that gets 30% of its gas from Russia and other European friends in a similar pickle to resist joining us fully in modifying Russia’s behavior. . Russia controls their shutoff valves .
Russian pipelines supply petro resources from one end of Western Europe to the Balkans (including as far south as Croatia). Their pipelines crisscross the Ukraine, making control of it strategic to both Russia and Western Europe.
A couple of years ago I was traveling through Romania, a former Soviet satellite, and now a member of NATO and the EU. Rusting oil storage tanks and refineries dotted the landscape to remind us of its former importance as an oil producer. However, we saw a huge pipeline propped up above ground. I asked our guide where the oil was coming from now. He said Russia. Why, I asked? Is the oil field dried up? No, he said, it is cheaper to get it from Russia than to drill it ourselves. Romania and the rest of Europe are addicted to Russian energy ..
Supplying western Europe with another source of natural gas from the US is not a short term solution and it is controversial. Friedman contends just to threaten and begin that process would have an effect on Putin’s calculations immediately.
To make good on the threat, we need to change our laws that now limit the amount of natural gas exports. Terminals and certain processes need to be built to handle LNG exports. Government approval needs to be streamlined . Rep. Cory Gardner (R-CO)) and Sen. Mark Udall (D-CO)support reforming the process; other senators oppose(.http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-07)
Some fear our energy costs would rise.. . Exporting oil and natural gas means more fracking and the Keystone pipeline completion. Both are fought by environmentalists. Friedman suggests imposing carbon taxes and raising our own gas tax would force world petro prices down. My thought: This trade off could encourage alternative energy development in the longer run. If anything, the Ukraine crisis will serve to put this public policy debate on the front burner.
A version of this blog ran as a column in the Sky Hi Daily News...www.skyhidailynews.com...March 28, 2014
From Google AI 3/30/2025
The EU's dependence on Russian gas has decreased substantially since the war in Ukraine, with imports dropping from 45% of EU gas imports in 2021 to 18% in 2024. Remaining Reliance:
Despite the decrease, Russia still supplies 18% of the EU's natural gas imports. Key Markets:
Key markets for Russian LNG remain France, Belgium, and Spain, accounting for 85% of Russian LNG imports, with smaller amounts flowing into the Netherlands and Greece. Pipeline Gas:
In February 2025, the EU received 56 mcm/day of Russian gas via the TurkStream pipeline, a 11% monthly increase. EU Imports:
The EU's imports from Russia consisted of pipeline gas (EUR 9.6 bn), LNG (EUR 7 bn) and crude oil via pipeline (EUR 4 bn).
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Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air
Europe Somehow Still Depends on Russia's Energy
Jan 3, 2025 — Russian gas imports are Europe's most glaring failure, with Russia still making up 18 percent of all EU natural gas imp...
Featured snippet from the webOil products: Turkey, the largest buyer, has purchased 25% of Russia's oil product exports, followed by China (11%), and Brazil (11%). LNG: The EU was the largest buyer, purchasing 49% of Russia's LNG exports, followed by China (22%), and Japan (18%).Feb 11, 202
